Pepperoni French Bread Pizza

Name: Pepperoni French Bread Pizza Recipe
Prep time: 6 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 27 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ large loaves French bread (cut in half lengthwise); 8 Tablespoons salted butter (cut into 16 pieces); 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 14 oz jar pizza sauce; ½ cup sliced pepperoni; 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Created On: September 14, 2019 | Updated: May 22, 2023 | 46 Comments

10.79

1.79

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The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.

This French Bread Pizza recipe is great for pizza night or weekends. It’s so easy to make; takes less than 30 minutes!

Plus it costs about $10.79 to feed six people. That works out to approximately $1.79 per serving!

Our 1-Hour French Bread recipe works great with this recipe! If you want more pizza recipes try our Pizza Rolls, 1 Hour Pepperoni Pizza, and Easy Taco Pizza.

Close up picture of the finished French Bread Pizza.

Friday night pizza night! Is that a thing for anyone else? It is for us. Pizza is such a great option for families with picky eaters. We have our share of those in our homes (insert smack my head emoji) so this French bread pizza recipe is definitely one of our favorites. You can put out a variety of toppings and let everyone put what they want on their pizza. DIY French Bread Pizza…Super easy!

Pizza every single week made the same way can get old though. It’s fun to add some variety to classic recipes. Enter this homemade French bread pizza. It is the perfect solution. The crusty outer layer of the French bread is delicious and a nice change from traditional pizza dough.

You can pick up a loaf of French bread for around $1 at Walmart and use some leftover items in your fridge from the prior week such as green peppers, pineapple, ham, feta, shredded chicken, and/or spinach. Look at that, an easy meal for pennies that is tastier and better for you than the frozen kind!

Ingredients & Estimated Cost:

Recipe Cost: $10.79

Per Serving: $1.79

1 ½ large loaves French bread, cut in half lengthwise – $1.97
8 Tablespoons salted butter, cut into 16 pieces – $1.12
2 teaspoons garlic powder – $0.08
1 teaspoon dried oregano – $0.05
14 oz jar pizza sauce – $2.62
½ cup sliced pepperoni – $2.45
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese – $2.50

The recipe cost is calculated by the amounts needed for the recipe. To find out more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained. The pricing for this recipe was updated in May 2023.

How to make Pepperoni French Bread Pizza

***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.

First, melt the butter and add garlic powder and parsley.
Next, slice the French bread lengthwise and brush the garlic butter mixture onto the bread.
Then place it in the oven for 6 minutes. Top your French bread with your desired toppings.
Bake it for another 10 minutes.
Let it cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

There are so many flavor variations for French bread pizza. Some of our favorites include feta, tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, ham and pineapple, sausage, pepperoni, bell peppers, pesto sauce, and the list could go on and on. One other family favorite pizza topping when we make French bread pizza is BBQ. Throw on some BBQ sauce, chicken, and red onions, yum! What are your favorite pizza toppings?
PRO TIP: Have each family member top a section of the French bread with their desired toppings. This way, everyone gets what they want. BONUS: This helps with meal prep, too!

Storage Tips

SERVE: We do not recommend keeping the pizza out at room temperature for longer than 1 hour before wrapping leftovers in plastic wrap or foil and store in the refrigerator.

STORE: Leftovers can be kept, wrapped in plastic wrap or foil, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

TO REHEAT: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and place the leftovers on a baking sheet. Heat for about 10 minutes or until the pizza is heated through and the cheese is nice and melty.

FREEZE: Whole, cooked pizzas should be cooled to room temperature and then wrapped in plastic wrap followed by foil. When prepared this way, they will keep for up to three months in the freezer.

TO REHEAT: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and place the pizza on a baking sheet. Heat for about fifteen to twenty minutes or until the pizza is heated through and the cheese is melty.

Pepperoni French Bread Pizza fresh out of the oven.

Recipe FAQs

Where did French bread pizza originate?

Serious Eats shares the history of how french bread pizza, also nicknamed as the poor man’s pizza (LOL), was created by Bob Petrillose. Bob created it in the 1960s when pizza delivery was not a thing yet. He owned a food truck outside of a college campus and wanted to make fresh pizza available to starving students. French bread pizza was his solution and oh boy have we benefited from his creation!

How long do you put french bread in the oven?

Initially, place the french bread pizza in a 475-degree oven for 6 minutes. Remove it from the oven and then place the desired toppings on top and place it back in the oven for another 10 minutes and now you’ve turned plain french bread into delicious french bread pizza!

How do you keep French bread pizza from getting soggy?

Be sure to brush the bread with the butter mixture and then cook the bread without any toppings or sauce. This gives the bread a nice toasty texture and will help it from getting soggy after adding the sauce and toppings.

What is French bread pizza made of?

Our recipe uses seven simple ingredients. The recipe is made with French bread, salted butter, garlic powder, oregano, pizza sauce, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese.

Get Kids Involved

Ages 2-3: Let them pick out which toppings they want and have them place them on their section of the French bread.

Ages 4-5: Have them get out the toppings from the fridge and pick out which toppings they want and place them on their section of the French bread. Also, have them brush the French bread with the butter mixture.

Ages 6-8: Have them prepare any toppings, grate the cheese as well as make their own French bread pizza. You could also have them spoon the sauce onto each pizza and spread it out with the back of a spoon.

Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.

Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe unsupervised while you do the happy dance in the corner!

Budget Tips

Invite some friends and family over for a fun pizza night. Ask everyone to bring a couple of their favorite toppings. This is an inexpensive way for everyone to enjoy some yummy food.
When we make our 1-Hour French Bread to serve alongside a pasta dish or some other meal, we like to save one loaf for making this pizza with it. It is a great way to stretch the grocery budget and get two meals out of one.

Picture collage of the pizza for Pinterest.

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